IPOH, March 31 — The Perak Enforcement Division of the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) seized 450 packets of 1kg subsidised cooking oil from a residential premises believed to have been used as an illegal storage facility in Teluk Intan.
Its director, Datuk Kamalludin Ismail, said the operation was carried out at about 11am yesterday by a team of enforcement officers from the KPDN Teluk Intan branch following intelligence gathering and surveillance conducted over the past week.
“Enforcement officers raided a residential premises in Teluk Intan which was suspected of being used as an illegal storage facility for controlled goods, namely packet cooking oil.
“During the inspection, we discovered 450 packets of 1kg subsidised cooking oil of various brands stored at the premises,” he said in a statement.
Kamalludin said enforcement officers also arrested a 36-year-old Bangladeshi man, who claimed to be the tenant of the premises, during the raid.
“The suspect informed our officers that the cooking oil packets were intended to be resold to customers in the surrounding area, including occupants of workers’ hostels at nearby construction sites.
“However, the suspect failed to produce any permit, licence or written authorisation from the Supply Controller to possess or deal with the controlled goods,” he said, adding that the suspect has been remanded for four days starting today.
Kamalludin said further investigations would be carried out under the Control of Supplies Act 1961 against individuals or suppliers suspected of selling subsidised packet cooking oil to foreign nationals.
“If found guilty, the CSA cooking oil licence of the supplier involved may be revoked and the supplier may also face a fine,” he said.
He added that a four-wheel-drive (4x4) vehicle, a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) and several related documents were also seized during the raid, with the total value of the seizure estimated at RM55,125.
The case is being investigated under the Control of Supplies Act 1961 for suspected possession or storage of scheduled controlled goods, namely packet cooking oil, without written permission from the Supply Controller.
If convicted, individuals may face a fine of up to RM1 million, imprisonment of up to three years, or both, while corporate bodies may be fined up to RM2 million, and up to RM5 million for a second offence.
Kamalludin said the operation was conducted as part of efforts to curb the misappropriation of controlled goods in the Hilir Perak and Bagan Datuk districts.
He urged members of the public to channel information on such activities to the nearest KPDN branch to help curb these offences and prevent the leakage of government subsidies.
